Lower block



y 26, 1966 c. H. EGGLETON, JR. ET Al. 3,262,679

LOWER BLOCK Filed June 2. 1964 INVENTOIq CECIL H. EGGLETO ,J R.

HOWARD C. STEVENSJR BY 7 Mug ATTOR NEY v United States Patent 3,262,679- LQWER BLOCK Cecil H. Eggleton, 3n, Fruitport, and Howard C. Stevens,

In, Muskegon, Mich, assignors, by mesne assignments,

to Dresser industries, Inc, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Deiaware Filed June 2, 1964, Ser. No. 382,428 Claims. (Cl. 254-192) This invention relates to hoists and more particularly to a novel and improved lower block assembly for a hoist.

A hoist of a type with which the present invention is concerned comprises a drive mechanism for controlling the movement of one or more falls of a multi-part block and fall assembly whereby a load supported by the block may be raised and lowered. Such a hoist might comprise a rotatable drive member, such as a sprocket, supported on the hoist'frame and driven by an electric motor with a flexible lifting member such as a chain or cable deadended at one end to the hoist frame and then extending downwardly and around a rotatable guide member or sprocket of a lower block assembly and then upwardly and over the driven sprocket on the hoist frame, whereby rotation of the driven sprocket in one direction will effect lifting of the lower block.

There are various known constructions for hoist lower blocks. However, such prior constructions have not been entirely satisfactory from the standpoint of simplicity and ease of construction and serviceability, among other reasons. Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide a lower block having a novel and improved construction in which the number of parts of the block is minimized, thus resulting in simplicity of construction and ease of serviceability, which is inherently rugged so as to provide a long trouble free service life, and which results in a block which is generaly free of protrusions which might injure the hoist operator or become engaged with adjacent machinery or fixtures when the hoist is in use.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an eleventional view of a lower block constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGLZ is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the block of FIG. 1.

With reference to the drawing, a lower block constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises a body generally indicated at 10. The body is preferably an integral one-piece casting having an internal cavity opening outwardly of the top and bottom of the body with the cavity being formed at least in part by spaced apart sidewalls 11 and 12. With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cavity within the body terminates at its lower end in a circular aperture extending through the bottom wall 14 of the body. Extending into the opening in the bottom wall of the body is the cylindrical shank 16 of a hook 18. The shank 16 is rotatably received within the opening in the bottom wall 14 and is provided with a peripheral flange 20 which limits movement of the shaft 16 into the block body. The shaft 16 extends into the cavity within the block, and the inner end of the shank 16 is threadably engaged by a nut 22 which is locked to the shank by a lock pin 24 extending diametrically through the nut 22 and shank 16. Engaged between 3,262,679 Patented July 26, 1966 ice the bottom of the nut 22 and the upper surface of the bottom wall 14 of the body is a bearing assembly comprising a needle thrust bearing 26 on opposite sides of which are disposed thrust washers 28 and 30 respectively. In assembling the hook onto the body of the shank 16 is inserted through the opening in the bottom wall 14. The washers 28 and 30 as well as the bearing 26 are then slipped over the inner end of the shank, and the nut 22 is threadably engaged with the inner end of the shank and turned inwardly sufliciently to draw the shank into the block body to a point where the lip or flange 20. is spaced slightly from the bottom of the block so that free pivotal movement of the hook about the axis of the shank 16 will not be impeded. The lock pin 24 is then inserted into the nut end shank to lock the nut relative to the shank. The sides of the block body are provided with openings 32 and 34 which are generally aligned with the pin receiving openings in the nut 22 and shank 16 to permit and facilitate insertion of the pin 24 as described.

The sidewalls 11 and 12 of the block body are provided with aligned openings rotatably receiving a pin or shaft 36 with the ends of the shaft being flush with the outer surfaces of the sidewalls 11 and 12 and with the axis of the shaft being disposed at right angles to the axis of the hook shank 16. A chain sprocket 38 is disposed within the internal cavity of the block body and is rotatably supported on the shaft 36. A rotatable, cylindrical bushing 40 is engaged coaxially over the' shaft 36 and disposed between the shaft and thesprocket 38. A thrust washer 42 is disposed between one side of the hub of the sprocket 38 and the sidewall 12. As most clearly seen in FIG. 2, the shaft 36 is provided with a coaxial passage 44 and a radially extending passage 46 communicating at one endwith the passage 44 and at its other end with the inner surface of the bushing 40. A fitting 48 is provided at the outer end of the passage 44-v whereby a lubricant may be introduced into the passages 44 and 46 to lubricate the bushing 40.

As can be seen from a consideration of the drawing, the inner walls of the body 10 as well as the periphery of the sprocket 3-8 are contoured to provide a guide channel for a link chain whereby the chain will enter as at 50 in FIG. 3, be directed around the sprocket, and exit as at 52 in FIG. 3. The top of the block is partially closed by a fixed center guide member 54, the ends of which as shown in FIG. 4 are also contoured to provide in cooperation with the adjoining area of the sidewalls of the block, generally closer leaf shaped entrance and exit opening for a link chain entering and leaving the block. While the guide surfaces of the block have been described and shown in connection with the use of the block with a link chain, it will be apparent that these guide surfaces may be changed as may be the configuration of the rotatable guide member or sprocket 38 when it is desired to use a flexible lifting member other than a link chain, such as a cable or roller chain. 7

The center guide 54 is supported on the sidewalls 11 and 12 of the block by a bolt 56 which extends into the sidewall 11, generally centrally through the center guide 54 and is threadably engaged in the side wall 12. The bolt 56 extends parallel to the axis of the shaft 36. The

'head of the bolt is received within a pocket in the recess 11 and the other end of the bolt projects very slightly, if at all, beyond the outer surface of the sidewall 12. The bolt 56 is relatively loosely received within the openings in the center guide through which it extends whereby the bolt will not prevent rotation of the center guide but will retain the center guide between the sidewalls .11 and 12. In accordance with the invention in order to prevent rotation of the center guide 54 and maintain it in its desired position, and as particularly shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, a locking plate 60 is provided. The locking plate 60 has at its upper end a pair of inturned ears or legs 62, 64 so that the upper end of locking plate has a generally U shaped cross-section with the ears or legs 62, 64 extending generally longitudinally of the block and the axis of the hook shank 16. The legs 62, 64 are engaged within slots 66,68, respectively, in the center guide 54. The locking plate 60 is further provided with an opening disposed generally centrally between the legs 62 and 64 and through which the bolt 56 extends.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the lower end of the locking plate is flat and generally circular in plan and is disposed between the hub of the sprocket and the sidewall 11 to provide a thrust bearing between the sprocket and side- Wall 11. The lower portion of the locking plate is further provided with a slot extending generally radially inwardly for the lower edge of the locking plate to separate the lower portion of the locking plate into a pair of legs 73 and 72. Asunost clearly shown in FIG. 4, the inner end of the slot in the lower portion of the locking plate is curved at a radius generally corresponding to the radius of the shaft '36 and rests upon the top of the shaft 36. The portions of the legs 79 and 72 forming the bordering edge portions of the slot in the locking plate are spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of the shaft 36 and are received within grooves 74 cut chordally of opposite sides of the shaft 35. The engagement of the legs 70 1 and 72 in the slots 74 of the shaft 36 serve to lock the shaft against axial movement and at the same time prevent rotation of the shaft about its axis. The locking plate 60 is in turn retained within the block by the bolt 56 which also retains the legs 62 and 64 of the locking plate in engagement Within the slots 66, 68 of the center guide. It should be noted that the legs 62, 64 are inclined slightly relative to each other and to the axis of the shank 16 so that these legs converge upwardly and toward each other. The slots 66, 68 within the center guide are likewise inclined so as to cooperate with the legs 62, 64 to provide a wedging action as the locking plate is brought into assembly with the center guide and assure that the center guide is engaged firmly by the locking plate.

In assembling the elements of the upper portion of the block, the sprocket 38, bushing 4i? and thrust washer 42 are located within the internal cavity of the block body, and the shaft 35 is inserted through these elements so as to be supported on the sidewalls 11 and 12. The center guide 54 is then positioned within the upper part of the block body, and the locking plate 69 is inserted between the sprocket 3'8 and sidewall 11 to engage the legs 7 i), 72 within the slots 74 of the shaft, and to wedgingly engage the legs 62 and 64 of the locking plate within the slots 66, 68 of the center guide. The bolt 56 is then inserted through the sidewall 11, locking plate 60 and center guide 54 and threaded into the sidewall 12 to complete the assembly.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided a novel and improved lower block for a hoist which achieves the stated objects of the invention. The locking plate 60 provides the several advantages of locking the shaft 36 against axial and rotational movement while at the same time providing a thrust bearing for the sprocket 38 and further at the same time providing means for preventing rotation of the center guide 54 about the axis of the bolt 56. The assembly of the block is simple and permits rapid and easy dis-assembly of the block, if required. The onepiece body casting improves the inherent strength of the block assembly, and the substantial freedom of protrusions on the periphery of the block body obviates the danger that portions of the block may catch 'on the hoist operator or on machinery surrounding the hoist during the operation thereof. While the lower block of this invention has been described in connection with a single sprocket, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that more than one sprocket may be provided, and also as pointed out above the block construction may be modified for use with other flexible lifting members such as cables or roller chains.

Inasmuch as many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a lirnting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Ne claim:

1. In a lower block for a hoist and the like, a body having an internal cavity opening outwardly of the top of the body, a shaft supported on the body and disposed in part in said cavity, a rotatable guide member disposed in said cavity and rotatably mounted on said shaft and adapted to be supported by a flexible lifting member extending into the top of the cavity and around said guide member and out of the top of the cavity, a fixed guide member disposed in said cavity at the top of said body, said fixed guide member in cooperation with the top of the body forming entrance and exit openings for a flexible lifting member, a locking member having means engaged with said shaft to prevent axial and rotational movement of the shaft and means engaged with said fixed guide member to retain it in predetermined position, said locking member further having means providing a thrust bearing between said rotatably guide member and body, and means retaining and supporting said fixed guide and locking members on said body.

2. In a lower block for a hoist and the like, a body having an internal cavity opening outwardly of the top of the body with said cavity being formed in part by a pair of spaced apart sidewalls, a shaft supported on said sidewalls and extending through said cavity, a rotatable guide member for a flexible lifting member disposed in said cavity and rotatably mounted on said shaft, a fixed guide member disposed in said cavity at the top of said body and in cooperation with the sidewalls of the body forming entrance and exit openings for a flexible lifting member, a locking member disposed between said rotatable guide member and one sidewall of said pair, said locking member including a lower portion disposed over said shaft and between said rotatable member and said one sidewall to provide a thrust bearing therebetween, said lower portion of said locking member having a slot in part defining a pair of spaced apart legs, the shaft being provided with a-pair of grooves in which said legs are engaged to prevent axial and rotational movement of the shaft, said locking member having an upper portion extending upwardly from said lower portion and terminating in a channel shaped portion disposed between said one sidewall and said fixed guide member, said channel shaped portion providing a pair of ears extending toward said fixed guide member, said fixed guide member being provided with a pair of slots extending generally longitudinally of the body and in which said ears are engaged, and means for retaining said locking member and fixed guide member in said body with said locking member engaged with said shaft and fixed guide member.

3. In a lower block for a hoist and the like, a body having an internal cavity opening outwardly of the top of the body with said cavity being for-med in part by a pair of spaced apart sidewalls, a shaft supported on said sidewalls and extending through said cavity, a rotatable guide member for a flexible lifting member disposed in said cavity and rotatably mounted on said shaft, a fixed guide member disposed in said cavity at the top of said body and in cooperation with the sidewalls of the body forming entrance and exit openings for a flexible lifting member, a locking member disposed between said rotatable guide member and one sidewall of said pair, said locking member including a lower portion disposed over said shaft and between said rotatable member and said one sidewall to provide a thrust bearing therebetween, said lower portion of said locking plate having a slot extending from the lower edge thereon to provide a pair of parallel spaced apart legs, the shaft being provided with diametrically opposed parallel grooves extending chordally thereof and in which said legs are engaged, said locking member having an upper portion extending upwardly from said lower portion and terminating in a channel shaped portion disposed between said one sidewall and said fixed guide member, said channel shaped portion providing a pair of ears extending toward said fixed guide member, said fixed guide member being provided with a pair of slots in which said ears are engaged, a threaded member extending through one of said sidewalls and through said locking member intermediate said ears and through said fixed guide member and being threadably engaged with said other sidewall to retain said locking member and fixed guide member in said body.

4. In a lower block for a hoist and the like, a onepiece body having an internal cavity opening outwardly of the top of the body with said cavity being formed in part by a pair of spaced apart sidewalls and a bottom wall, a shaft supported on said sidewalls and extending through said cavity, a rotatable guide member for a flexible lifting member disposed in said cavity and rotatably mounted on said shaft, a fixed guide member disposed in said cavity at the top of said body and in co operation with the sidewalls of the body forming entrance and exit openings for a flexible lifting member, a locking plate disposed between said rotatable guide member and one sidewall of said pair, said locking plate including a fiat lower portion disposed coaxially of said shaft and between said rotatable member and said one sidewall to provide a thrust bearing therebetween, said lower portion of said locking plate having a radially extending slot extending from the lower edge thereof to provide a pair of parallel spaced apart legs and terminating in an armate end portion resting on the top of said shaft, the shaft being provided with diametrically opposed parallel grooves extending chordally thereof and in which said legs are engaged, said locking plate having an upper portion extending upwardly in generally coplanar relation to and from said lower portion and terminating in a channel shaped portion disposed between said one sidewall and said fixed guide member, said channel shaped portion providing a pair of ears extending toward said fixed guide member and being inclined upwardly and to ward each other, said fixed guide member being provided with a pair of slots in which said ears are wedgingly engaged, said slots being inclined upwardly of the block and toward each other generally complementally to said ears, a threaded member extending through one of said sidewalls and through said locking plate intermediate said ears and through said fixed guide member 5 and being threadably engaged with said other sidewall to 5 retain said locking plate and fixed guide member in said body.

5. In a lower block for a hoist and the like, a onepiece body having an internal cavity opening outwardly of the top of the body with said cavity being formed in part by a pair of spaced apart parallel sidewalls and a bottom wall, a shaft supported on said sidewalls and extending through said cavity, the ends of such shaft terminating at or adjacent to the surface of said pair of sidewalls, a rotatable guide member for a flexible lifting member disposed in said cavity and rotatably mounted on said shaft, a fixed guide member disposed in said cavity at the top of said body and in cooperation with the sidewalls of the body forming entrance and exit openings for a flexible lifting member, a locking plate disposed between said rotatable guide member and one sidewall of said pair, said locking plate including a flat generally circular lower portion disposed coaxially of said shaft and between said rotatable member and said one sidewall to provide a thrust bearing therebetween, said circular portion of said locking plate having a radially extending slot extending from the lower edge of said circular portion to provide a pair of parallel spaced apart legs and terminating in an arcuate end portion resting on the top of said shaft, the shaft being provided with diametrically opposed parallel grooves extending chordally thereof and in which said legs are engaged, said locking plate having an upper portion extending upwardly in generally co planar relation to and from said circular portion and terminating in a channel shaped portion disposed between said one sidewall and said fixed guide member, said channel shaped portion providing a pair of ears extending toward said fixed guide member and being inclined upwardly and toward each other, said fixed guide member being provided with a pair of slots in which said ears are wedgingly engaged, said slots being inclined upwardly of the block and toward each other generally complementally to said ears, a threaded member extending through one of said sidewalls and through said locking plate intermediate said ears and through said fixed guide member and being threadably engaged with said other sidewall to retain said locking plate and fixed guide member in said body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,713,587 5/1929 Wright 254--192 2,519,400 8/ 1950 Robins 254-167 2,647,724 8/1953 Cofling 254167 2,656,150 10/ 1953 Lock 254-167 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Examiner.

H. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A LOWER BLOCK FOR A HOIST AND THE LIKE, A BODY HAVING AN INTERNAL CAVITY OPENING OUTWARDLY OF THE TOP OF THE BODY, A SHAFT SUPPORTED ON THE BODY AND DISPOSED IN PART IN SAID CAVITY, A ROTATABLE GUIDE MEMBER DISPOSED IN SAID CAVITY AND ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT AND ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED BY A FLEXIBLE LIFTING MEMBER EXTENDING INTO THE TOP OF THE CAVITY AND AROUND SAID GUIDE MEMBER AND OUT OF THE TOP OF THE CAVITY, A FIXED GUIDE MEMBER DISPOSED IN SAID CAVITY AT THE TOP OF SAID BODY, SAID FIXED GUIDE MEMBER IN COOPERATION WITH THE TOP OF THE BODY FORMING ENTRANCE AND EXIT OPENINGS FOR A FLEXIBLE LIFTING MEMBER, A LOCKING MEMBER HAVING MEANS ENGAGED WITH SAID SHAFT TO PREVENT AXIAL AND ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE SHAFT AND MEANS ENGAGED WITH SAID FIXED GUIDE MEMBER TO RETAIN IT IN PREDETERMINED POSITION, SAID LOCKING MEMBER FURTHER HAVING MEANS PROVIDING A THRUST BEARING BETWEEN AND ROTATABLY GUIDE MEMBER AND BODY, AND MEANS RETAINING AND SUPPORTING SAID FIXED GUIDE AND LOCKING MEMBERS ON SAID BODY. 